Shadow of a Storm
by EnvelopesandCypressTrees
Summary: Sequel to FEAR OF THE STORM Makoto is slowly recovering from the aftermath of his trauma, it's been 3 months and the road to recovery is rough. Things are looking better for the friends until some events start happening that suggest that perhaps the storm isn't over...maybe these last 3 months had just been the eye of it...


**Hello everyone! This is the sequel you requested to FEAR OF THE STORM**  
 **I'm back!**

 **IF YOU HAVEN'T READ MY OTHER STORY "FEAR OF THE STORM" YOU HAVE TO IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS FIC!**

 **I'm juggling a lot right now so these updates will not be prompt -just being real.**

 **There will be 5 chapters to this as well. And I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading! And please Review!**

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 **HARU'S POV**

Three months, it had been three months. I stood outside of Makoto's house and looked up at his window. I knew that wasn't long -especially when coping with something like this. But I hadn't seen my best friend since the hospital, and worry ate away at me every day, gnawing at me like thousands of mosquitos. In another words, forgive my bad pun, I was itching to see him.

That would have made him laugh. I wish he could have heard it; I miss his laugh.

Had he smiled at all these last few months? The thought of Makoto without a smile was like looking at death itself. I picked up a small pebble and weighed it in my palm for a moment, rolling it in my fingers -I pulled back my arm to toss it at his window pane but paused. Maybe it was too soon? I had done well, giving him space. But this was slowly becoming my daily routine, and I was pretty sure that this was the same pebble I held almost every day. I tossed it at my feet instead and scuffled away, head bowed.

It was chilly and a thick scarf was wrapped around my neck. I turned my head stiffly to look at the window behind me and for a moment I saw the curtain ruffle and a pale hand. Makoto…I froze in mid step the chilly brisk whipping my raven hair against my cheeks. I turned away the sudden, small glimpse of my friend's hand alone making my eye's water. I took small steps to my house, his hand replaying in my memories, I miss you Makoto.

The next day it was just as chilly, and unfortunately the pool was closed. Ever since the… _event_ …things had changed -it was uncomfortable. Nagisa and Rei barely spoke to me, and I to them, we sat together but hardly conversed. Mostly, they asked about Makoto -but they knew as much as I did, which ultimately was nothing. We knew what had happened when Makoto had been kidnapped, afterwards

He had stayed in the hospital about a month recovering physically, but suddenly his parents had whisked him away from there and into the safety of their home. And none of us had seen or heard from them since.

It was a weekend today, and Nagisa and Rei were sitting in my living room. Legs tucked under the kotatsu sipping silently at their tea. It was steaming between us in a cloud and almost forming above us like the figurative dark cloud currently hanging over our heads. It was almost scary at how serious and solemn Nagisa had become lately.

"Maybe we should go knock." It was the first thing said, we both looked up at Rei, who was staring into his mug -the steam fogging on his glasses. We knew what he was talking about, and it didn't shock me that in the silence we were all thinking of Makoto.

"No." was all I said. I knew that it was probably a good idea but after all this time I was…scared. I wouldn't know what to do, what to say…what _do_ you say after something like this? The silence fell back over us and I played with the hem of the blanket. I brought my cup up to my lips and closed my eyes about to take a sip-

 **KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK**

It startled me so badly that I almost dropped my tea, my eyes flew open as the harsh noise suddenly broke through the silence, and I felt my heart seize. Nagisa and Rei looked at me expectantly until I reluctantly got up and trudged to the door. I opened it partially and peered out sputtering as I realized who it was.

"Mr. Tachibana!" out of the corner of my eye I saw my blonde and black haired friend startle and their eyes widen. They scrambled up to me and hoovered over my back like yokai. They chorused

"Mr. Tachibana!" Makoto's dad smiled weakly and ran a hand through his hair.

"Haru, do you mind if I come in?"

For a moment I just stood there stunned, mouth slightly agape, until I felt Rei's finger prodding into my spine he whispered "Haru, snap out of it." After a moment I stepped aside still saying nothing as Makoto's father walked past me into my house. He took off his coat and scarf and hung them on the stand -all the while we could just stare. A million questions running through our heads.

"Can I get you some tea, sir?" Nagisa finally asked, bustling off when the older man nodded.

"I'll try to make this quick, Haru. I want you to take Makoto to the Samezuka festival tomorrow. He needs to get out of the house…He needs to be with his friends…he needs to feel…. well, _normal_ again." I nodded dumbly, his words sounding muffled through my thoughts. Rei has his hands curled into fists clenching the back of my shirt.

"But I thought-" Rei began, Makoto's dad interrupted him

"What? That _we_ were keeping him closed away?" by 'we' I knew he meant him and his wife "No, Makoto doesn't want to come out…" Mr. Tachibana looked away visually upset "he doesn't eat, hardly sleeps…and…" He looked back at me, eye's slightly trembling with emotion "Haru, he can hardly walk."

I felt my stomach turn and bile rise into my throat, I wasn't sure if he meant because of his knee -which had been horribly broken- or if self-neglect had made him weak. Rei audibly gasped and Nagisa who had just returned froze in mid step, all suddenly ashamed for no reason. "He just…" Mr. Tachibana took the tea from the blonde "He needs to move on from this."

Makoto's dad fidgeted uncomfortably "It's like a part of him died after…it all happened. Sometimes it's like he doesn't realize that he actually lived through it -or rather he wished he hadn't. We just don't know what to do…" Mr. Tachibana's word's died in his throat as if his tongue had suddenly become too heavy. His mouth snapped shut as he noticed that none of us had said anything. He looked shocked suddenly as he realized he said too much. "Go-gomen." He bowed apologetically

I felt cold, a cold sweat making my brow damp, my eyes felt too dry and it hurt to blink. All that he had just said had struck my heart like a hammer, I struggled to draw a breath. Rei's fingers were so tightly curled into my shirt that it was suffocating, any tighter and it may rip at the seams. My eyes wandered to Nagisa whose face was turned away, hidden by a shadow.

What do you say to that? I'm sorry, my best friend's father, that your son was raped, shot, beaten…

There is nothing to say -so no one did.

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 **MAKOTO'S POV**

I was awake before I realized it, staring at the ceiling, my alarm beeping in the background. I rolled and swatted it off the table next to me -as it hit the floor the batteries exploded from it and the noise died instantly. I lay there for a moment, staring at the batteries, and reached down to scoop them up, I reloaded them slowly, listening to them click in place. This time when the alarm started I just hit the button.

I really wasn't looking forward to today- I had to see the other's today, I had to pretend like nothing was wrong today, try and be normal today.

I sat up, grabbing my bum leg with both hands and dragging it to the edge. I cringed in pain as I forced it to bend over the side. I quickly fastened the large plastic brace around it, like I was caging in my knee, and pulled myself to my feet using the side table to steady myself. I already knew it was coming and I was dreading it

People staring, pointing, whispering "hey, isn't _that_ the boy?" and "poor kid" and of course "I heard he was raped…by a man" which would be followed up by "he's gay?"

I laughed out loud, a harsh bark of self-pity and anger. Hobbling over to my crutches propped in the corner I tucked them under my armpits, balanced, and moving over to the window I placed a hand on it for a moment…

It's cold out. This is how I had determined the weather these last few months, by pressing my palm to the pane. Outside the sun was glowing brightly, shimmering brightly like Kei's hair. I turned and pulled clothes out of the drawer and struggled to get dressed.

Snorting in annoyance I had to sit, remove the brace, put on my pants and then refasten my brace over it. I slipped on the sweater and a jacket and combed my hair with my fingers.

I looked around while doing so -I don't even know where my hairbrush is anymore. I finished getting ready and limped towards the stairs. I wonder how Haru's doing…

Ah, the biggest problem of all loomed before me. After some difficultly I managed to descend the stairs by sliding on my ass, dragging my crutches behind me. A soft voice greeted me when I reached the last step

"Makoto…" I looked up, my mother hoovering over me with a proud, soft smile, her hand reached out to help me up. Just like how I used to help Haru out of the pool when we would swim…

I took it and swayed slightly as I straightened. "The car's already started…are you ready?" I just nodded, my throat dry like cotton. Satisfied with my response she helped me to the car. My insides were trembling; I was terrified of today. I didn't want their pity, and I didn't want to be a burden.

As she sat next to me in the car she reached over and took my hand "you're going to do great, honey." I smiled, somewhat genuinely and squeezed her hand gently.

We had ridden the rest of the way in silence until we pulled up in front of Samezuka, she reluctantly let go of my hand as I struggled to get out of the car, why was it so close to the ground? I pushed myself up onto the curb and waved as the car disappeared down the road. Slowly I turned around, eyes closed, and for a second all the noise of the ongoing festival just beyond the gates died away and I can only hear my own nervous heartbeat and erratic breath.

Suddenly a harsh bump on my shoulder made me stumble forward a step, when I cracked my eyes open I saw a cluster of students brushing past rushing to get into the gates, "Gomen!" One of them shouted to me as her eyes met mine and a smile twitched across her face. As her eyes wandered across my face a sudden look of recognition crossed it. She reached out and grabbed her friend's shirt and nodded towards me, leaning to whisper in her ear. I looked away ashamed as I hear "Isn't that Makoto Tachibana? That guy that…" I blocked her out until she and her friends has disappeared inside -throwing a few glances over their shoulders.

"Makoto?" I looked over my shoulder almost reluctantly, but as soon as I saw him my heart swelled and I almost burst into tears. I hadn't realized how much I had missed him.

"Haru…" His face screwed up in almost a painful grimace and with a shock I realized his eye's too were beginning to brim with tears. Had he missed me that much? "Haru" I said again a little louder and this time my voice broke. I hobbled forward a few steps and reached a trembling hand out towards him to embrace him -but before I could grab him he burst forward and slammed into me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I would have fell backwards tripping over my own stupid, bum, leg but his arms held me upright, squeezing me so tightly that my back was forced to bend backwards

He buried his face into my collar, as if he were breathing my scent to make sure I was real. I laughed. It bubbled past my lips and a tear slipped free as I wrapped my arms around him as well, snuggling my face into his hair. Laughing and crying like a maniac I rubbed his shoulder. Guilt washed over me like a tide and another tear slipped free, I had made him worry

"Makoto" he repeated, tears making my collar wet. He was crying "you're back."

Although we both knew that wasn't entirely true, we both knew that this was the beginning of the end of our nightmare.

Or so we thought.

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 **Thanks guys! I hope you enjoyed it, next chapter is the reuniting of Nagisa, Rei, Rin and Makoto and also some Sosuke, the festival and also a plot twist**

 **As you know I love Mako-whump overwhelmingly so, so brace yourself for the feels.**

 **REVIEW PLEASEEEE it keeps me writing and inspired**

 **Love you**

 **-EACT**


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